2023: The View From Here

For those who don’t know… our little family is moving the first week of January 2023. Lovely time of year for it, don’tcha think? LOL

So, you may have noticed that I haven’t been reading or writing much. That’s cuz although I’m a purger by nature, I am also a sentimental fool. I have saved everything my kids ever made and every gift given to me by friends and family. I should say… “had”… because it was time to be brutally honest with myself and part ways with some of it. I mean, that macaroni necklace that’s been broken into a million macaroni shards? The picture my son drew with a wad of gum on it? One earring from a set I was SURE I’d find the lost mate to… one day? After hours (and hours!) of reminiscing and ruminating over each item, I had to let some things go. Sometimes agonizing but oh-so necessary!

We’ve lived here for 15 years and it’s AH-MAZE-ING how much two peeps and a cat (or four) have accumulated over that time!

I decided to stop for today because my spine is punching me in the kidney or thereabouts. STOP, DAMMIT, it says… and so I have. Sidenote: Books are really, really heavy! LOL I have a few of those, even after my purges! LOL

I went out today to run some errands related to the packing. U-HAUL has generously allowed me to return 24 boxes we didn’t use. Ka-ching! We needed curtains for the new place (more windows, yeah!) and a Swiffer for the wood floors, and dishwasher detergent for our soon-to-be sparkling dishes. Another sidenote: We’ve *never* had a dishwasher before. I mean, I have, back in California… but not in Canada.

And I desperately needed a Chai Latte from Starbucks. And my hubby needed seedless red grapes from the Farmer’s Market. Who can blame him?

There’s pasta sauce and meatballs in the oven and our cats are kinda settling down now that most stuff is packed and not spewed all over the house. I’m off work until after the move. The weather has warmed up to a balmy 55 degrees (Fahrenheit). Rain, mostly. Hope it holds and doesn’t snow. We’ll need more than a Swiffer for that kind of mess from the movers!

Anywho… while out and about, I took some photos that I want to share with you. Here’s how it’s looking after a nasty (now melting/melted) snowstorm…

If you remember, my word for 2023 is SURRENDER. I’m super excited to see what I can do with that one! My word THIS YEAR (was and still is) MINDFULNESS and I feel I’ve come a long way on that one! I think about the word all the time… which is… uh… the point? 🙂

I will be back after the New Year with new books (I’ve already been sent a new one by a publisher to review!) and stories, photos, poems, and drawings. I can’t wait to get everything settled! Halfway through the month, my hours at work will change too… which is a godsend! I absolutely HATE working until late at night. I mean, I didn’t at the beginning but now I do. I want something that resembles a regular life with my husband and cats at night… a good night’s sleep… and rising before lunch, for goodness sake! And I’ve gotten it! Yay!

Truly, a new beginning!! <<< It’s never too late to begin anew… over and over again!

HAPPY NEW YEAR…

Love & Hugs to ALL!

Sheryl